Sic ego in{quam} que sit vel felicitas vel miseria in ipsis proborum at{que} improborū meritis constituta. {sed} in hac ipsa fortuna popilari etc

THis I see wel quod I eyther what blisfulnesse. or els what vnselinesse is establisshed in the desertes of Page  [unnumbered] good men and of shrewes. but in this ilke fortune of the peple I see somwhat of good & somwhat of euil / for no wi∣seman had not leuer be exiled pore and nedy and name∣les than for to dwellen in his Cite and flouren of richesse and be redoutable of honour and strong of power. For in this wise more clerely and witnesfully is thoffice of wyse men̄ treated than the blisfulnesse of power & gouernours is / as it were shad amonges the peples that be neyghbours and subgittis. sith that namely prison / lawe & these other tormentes of lawful peynes be rather owed to felono{us} Ci∣tezenes. For the whiche felonous Citezeines the peynes be establisshed more than for goode peple. B. Thenne I mer∣uaile greetly qd I whi that the thinges be so mysse entre∣chaūged that tormentes of felonyes pressen & confounden good peple. and shrewes rauesshen medes of vertue. & been in honours & grete estates. And I desire eke for to weten of the / what semeth the to be the reson of this so wrongful a confusion / For I wold wonder well the lasse / if I tro∣wed that al thinges were medled with fortunouse happe But now crepith & encresith myne astonyengis God go∣uernour of thinges that so as God yeueth ofte tymes to goode men goodes & myrthes. and to shrewes euils & a•pre thinges. & yeueth ayein to goode folke •ordnesse & to shre∣wes he graūteth hem her wille / & that they des•ren̄ / what dif∣ference may ther be betwene. that that god doth. & happe of fortune. yf men knowe not the cause whi it is / P / Ne hit is no meruaile quod she / thaugh that men wenen̄ that ther be som̄e what foliss• and confuse whan the reason of the or∣de• is vnknowen. but all thaugh that thou ne knowe not Page  [unnumbered] the cause of so grete a disposicion. Natheles for as moche as god the goode gouernour attempreth and gouerneth the worlde. ne doubte ye not that al thinges ben̄ done a right